STREET STYLE

STREET STYLE

Red Bull District Ride transformed the streets of Nuremberg into a slopestyle kingdom for the world's best riders – powered by Bosch Professional.

AN EPIC COMEBACK

It took five years before Red Bull District Ride could make its epic comeback in the medieval urbanscape of Nuremberg, Germany. To bring the mountain bike competition back with a bang, the track designers built a slopestyle wonderland in five districts across the near thousand-year-old town, transforming it into a stunt kingdom for the world's best riders. But behind the great tricks are great tracks and tools. To build 14 features within 3 weeks, the track builders gave us a call.

Transforming a thousand-year-old town is tough work. But it's easier with Bosch Professional.

Stop motion shot of Emil Johansson on a slope built with Bosch Professional tools

DESPITE THE ODDS

NUREMBERG, GERMANY – There was a time when rider Emil Johansson wasn't sure if he would ever ride again. And yet, despite the odds, here he was. Standing tall at the top of another slope in front of 80,000 spectators. Johansson leans forward. Around him, the crowd screams. Somewhere in the crowd, track designer Niko Bößl watches closely. This isn't his first Red Bull event, but the thrill hits every time. "It's the best feeling," he says. "This is why we do what we do." Behind the world's greatest tricks is a team that sets the stage. That's Bößl and his crew.


A track builder drills into wood on top of the tallest slope in Nuremberg's main square

The courage to fly

"This course is such a rollercoaster ride," says rider Nicholi Rogatkin. "You're just hanging on from beginning to end." The heartstopping 700m-long track was set up back-to-back with 14 features across five districts. The design took months. "Our job was to carve this track just as Red Bull father Aaron Chase imagined here in the city," says Bößl, who says there is no room for error. Riders depend on stable, well-built slopes for the courage to let loose and fly. "We spent hours and hours at the computer working on 3D models," Bößl recalls. "In the US it was day, over here in Germany it was night. A lot of time went into it."


Niko Bößl, Track Designer
Sustainability is very important to us. That's one of the reasons why we chose Bosch Professional.

Niko Bößl, Track Designer

The Wallride was the most challenging slope to build due to the different angles and intersections

Behind the slopes

The largest slope stood 15m tall, but Bößl says it wasn't the toughest to build. The Wallride stood on an uneven surface and looked like the inside of a tsunami wave. The near-vertical wall had to support the impact of riders going at extreme speed. "We had to use earth nails," says Bößl. "Different levels, different intersections, and it all had to come together to support a 3D structure." Due to the complexity, he was glad to have the world's strongest drill driver GSB 18V-150 C Professional at hand. "The electronic angle detection is great. Fast, clever, easy to use."


The team used the portable BITURBO mitre saw GCM 18V-305 GDC for fast and powerful wood-cutting

Power that feels good

"We used enough wood to build a house, if not two," says Bößl. "We thought a lot about what materials and tools to use. Sustainability is very important to us." This was one of many reasons they chose to go cordless with Bosch Professional. Nils Ortmann, construction lead, remembers the early days of power tools: "When I first started in carpentry, it was gruesome. There were cords and cables everywhere. Now you don't need them anymore." They were especially surprised by our high-performance BITURBO tools. With just one battery, the mitre saw GCM 18V-305 GDC Professional delivers 2,000W of equivalent corded power. "Yet much lighter and comfortable to carry," says Ortmann.


Ortmann cuts a protruding screw without applying any pressure thanks to an X-LOCK angle grinder

Power of simplification

Apprentice Oliver Heinritz was impressed by the simple things: "You can use any battery for any tool. It makes things much easier." Thanks to the versatility of our Professional 18V System, the crew only needed the bare minimum of batteries and chargers for all the different tools on the jobsite. "One battery fits all," he says. "In fact, you could even say one 'click' fits all." To cut protruding metal from the slopes, Ortmann used the X-LOCK angle grinder GWX 18V-15 PSC Professional for the first time and was amazed at how easy it was: "I can change accessories in just one click. No extra tools needed. It feels faster and safer."


Nils Ortmann, Construction Manager
When I first started in carpentry, it was gruesome. There were cords and cables everywhere. Now you don't need them anymore.

Nils Ortmann, Construction Manager

A rider performs a trick in the air after flying off the gigantic Bosch Up Box

The Bosch District

"There are really, really cool obstacles on the whole track," says rider Lukas Knopf. "But the one that really sticks out, because you don't find it everywhere, is the Bosch Up Box." In the Box District, track designers built a larger-than-life replica of our GPB 18V-5 SC Professional jobsite radio. "What's special about the Bosch box is that it has 45-degree angles everywhere," says Ortmann, who led the construction. Designed by Aaron Chase, the ramp sends riders flying for "a ton of sick tricks" or to "try and jump the whole landing". "It's one of my favourites," says rider Fabio Wibmer. "Serious slopestyle and really creative stuff."


The champions of Red Bull District Ride 2022 pop bottles of champagne on the podium

The best moment

Johansson is hanging out in the air, miles away from the ground, feet off the pedals. "Is this guy even human?" wonders the commentator as the Swedish slopestyle star flies up to pole position and secures his nine-win streak. Thanks to the 14 features of the Red Bull District Ride built by Bößl and his team, another year of world-first tricks was added to Nuremberg's near-thousand year history. It feels like a win. Bößl watches the new District Ride champions with a huge smile: "When the months of planning works out, when the features are built, and athletes perform a trick for the first time... That is best moment for us. Then we are really happy."

© Phil Pham/Red Bull Content Pool 2022


Niko Bößl, Track Designer
When the slopes are ready and athletes perform a trick on them for the first time... that is the best moment for us. That's when we are really happy.

Niko Bößl, Track Designer

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